I Stand with Kesha, Do You?

By: Gabby Frost

Trigger Warning: rape, sexual assault

Kesha Rose Sebert, better known as Ke$ha, has been denied preliminary injunction in order to escape her contract with Sony Music and her producer, Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottswald, who sexually assaulted her.

I've been following this trial for a bit now and was hoping that the judical system would prove to the world that there's still justice out there. I have been immensely disappointed today; a woman is being forced to work with the man who traumatized her life. In what world is it okay that money is held above someone's mental well-being and safety?

Sony only cares about the big bucks and not about Kesha at all. She is only one artist to them, and Dr. Luke is a producer who works with many more artists. How could Sony allowed a rapist to continue working for them? What if he does the same to another one of his artists? Sony needs to realize that its artists are not objects. Singers and bands are more than money makers, they are people too.

Sony and other record companies need to realize that their artists' health should come first. Artists need to stop being dehumanized just because they are put in the spotlight. They live the same lives everyone else does; just because they may have more money, fame, and power, doesn't mean they should be treated any differently from someone "normal."

Even if you don't like Kesha's music, it doesn't matter. This case is not about if you like her music, it's about ending rape culture and violence against women. The fact that the government gets to decide whether or not someone was raped is unbelievable. Not enough people in this world are aware of the aspects of rape culture, which includes victim blaming. It was not Kesha's fault that Dr. Luke abused her. At all. She shouldn't be put at more fault for wanting to get out of a contract with someone so evil.

Another aspect of rape culture is saying that victims are lying, which especially happens to male victims of abuse. Abuse survivors have been silenced for so long, and many still haven't come forth and gotten justice. When these survivors do get enough courage, they are often berated with despicable comments saying that they're not telling the truth. Why in the world would someone lie about getting abused? Abuse can lead to mental health problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, or overload them with guilt.

Help create a voice for those who aren't ready to use theirs and stand up against sexual abuse and rape culture. Kesha and the hundreds of thousands of other sexual assault victims deserve freedom from their abuser, as well as justice. I hope you stand with Kesha, because I definitely do.